ASA faces stern test of leadership

The Frank Lowy-led Australian Soccer Association faces a test of strength with the sport's Victorian bosses over the local administration's continued refusal to allow the state's two best known teams, South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights, to field sides in the Victorian Premier League's upcoming season, which kicks off next weekend.

The issue now threatens to become a major conflict between the two bodies, with the clubs calling on the ASA to take action to resolve the impasse and prove that it is they, not the state federations, that are controlling the sport.

It is believed that the ASA, which was involved in a similar stand-off over the implementation of a new constitution for the sport's national governance late last year, is prepared to take a hard line with Victorian officials over this case.

In the previous spat, Lowy made it clear that if the Victorians did not fall into line with the rest of the country he would, as a last resort, abolish the local controlling body and establish a new one.

It is believed that no such threat has yet been made, but Knights president Ange Cimera yesterday said he was expecting the ASA to "sort something out within 48 hours".

Reflecting the view of other NSL club officials, he said: "The ASA is the new face of soccer and if they can't sort out the first hurdle that they come across maybe they should not be there. They promised us (on Tuesday night) that within 48 hours some action would be taken. We are now waiting on them. The VSF has thrown down the gauntlet and the ball is now in the ASA's court. They have got to show leadership now."

Officials from the Knights and South travelled to Sydney for talks with ASA staffers and presidents of the other 11 NSL clubs earlier this week to win support for their case.

In the Knights case, with the board having already signalled that it will not be a part of the newly revamped Australian Premier League set for launch next October, there are genuine fears that the club may cease to exist if it cannot continue in its current form playing one level below the national competition.

South is bidding to be a part of the new national league, but wants to field a side in the local competition to use its resources 12 months a year, broaden its support base and improve its cash flows.

The VSF Commission yesterday offered a form of compromise, ruling that both clubs could lend their players to Premier League teams for the duration of the upcoming season to ensure they continued in employment, getting them back in time for both to be admitted to the VPL next season.

The commission hopes by then to switch to summer soccer, which would mean that after a short break in September the next VPL campaign would kick off in October of this year.

Cimera last night described the compromise as inadequate.

Meanwhile, struggling Leeds United hopes that its star player, Socceroo striker Mark Viduka, could be back in the starting line-up for the weekend's crucial relegation clash against Middlesbrough.

Viduka flew to Melbourne to be with his critically ill father, Joe, more than a fortnight ago.

Arsenal has signed 20-year-old Spanish international forward Jose Antonio Reyes from Sevilla for what is believed to be in the region of $50 million.